1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing system and method, and more particularly, to a printing system and method in which verification of a printed sample, which is prepared by desk top publishing (DTP) after an order for a printed matter is received from a printed matter customer, and delivery of the completed printed matter can be performed simply and in a short period of time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Printing by desktop publishing (DTP), whereby printed matters of various types are prepared by utilizing a computer, has been spreading in recent years. Even in the publishing world, the preparation and delivery of the printed matters ordered by customers are more and more often being performed by DTP.
Conventionally, a printed matter customer who orders a printed matter will go through the following process when a generally performed printing system is employed. The customer will go and meet with a printed matter preparer from the time of the order up through preparation of the printed matter, verification of samples, and delivery of a completed printed matter. Alternatively, the printed matter preparer will visit the customer, or the samples or completed printed matter will be delivered by post. Even for cases where a printed matter is prepared by DTP printing utilizing a computer, the printed matter will be delivered after passing through a process like that described above.
The verification of the printed matter samples by the printed matter customer, and the delivery of the completed printed matter, in accordance with a printing system like that described above, require time and effort because the printed matter customer meets directly with the printed matter preparer, or the printed matter preparer sends the samples or the completed printed matter by post or the like. Moreover, there is a problem in that an additional amount of time and effort results when corrections are necessary after viewing the samples.
In order to eliminate the time and effort required in verifying the printed matter samples and delivering the completed printed matter, a process has been proposed in which printing information prepared by DTP printing is sent to the printed matter customer by electronic mail and is output to a printer of the printed matter customer, and then the printed matter preparer has the samples verified by the printed matter customer or delivers the output printed matter as a finished product. In this case the same hardware, such as a personal computer, and software as that used by the printed matter preparer also has to be provided to the printed matter customer. There are problems relating to the burden of investing in this equipment, and to the necessity of mastering operation of the personal computer.